1947–48 Princeton Tigers men's ice hockey season

1947–48 Princeton Tigers
men's ice hockey season
1947–48 Princeton Tigers; men's ice hockey season
Conference	T–4th Pentagonal League
Home ice	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink
Record
Overall	10–11–0
Conference	2–5–0
Home	8–7–0
Road	0–3–0
Neutral	2–1–0
Coaches and captains
Head coach	Richard Vaughan
Captain(s)	Chuck Callanan
	Princeton Tigers men's ice hockey seasons; « 1946–47 1948–49 »

The 1947–48 Princeton Tigers men's ice hockey season was the 46th season of play for the program but first under the oversight of the NCAA. The Tigers represented Princeton University and were coached by Richard Vaughan in his 11th season.

Season

After a terrible end to the previous season, the Tigers were looking to get a good jump on the year.^[1] The first game against Brown, who were returning to the ice after a 9-year layoff, was a relatively soft landing for the Tigers who won the game as much on their depth as anything else.^[2] After inserting Robert O'Conner into the starting role for team captain Charlie Callanan, coach Vaughan got the Tigers to perform much better in their second game.^[3]

Over the winter break, Princeton travelled up to Buffalo to participate in a 4-team winter carnival.^[4] With Callanan back in goal, the Tigers won the first two games with solid performances on both sides of the puck. This left them with an impeccable 5–0 record as they entered the showdown with the defending eastern champions, Dartmouth. With a potential NCAA tournament berth up for grabs, the Tigers wanted to at least give the Indians a fight, however, the Greens demonstrated why they were one of the best teams in the country by taking complete control of the game. While Princeton didn't look out of place on the same ice as Dartmouth, the Hanoverians were obviously the better of the two.^[5]

On their way back to campus, the team made a pitstop in Canton to take on St. Lawrence. Unfortunately, the team got into penalty trouble in the first and surrendered 2 power play goals which the Larries rode to a 3–6 win. The Tigers hoped that they could flip the script a week later when they met Dartmouth for a rematch but the second edition was eerily similar to the first. Despite a strong defensive performance by O'Conner and Schmon, the Indians potted 6 goals in Princeton's first league game since 1942.^[6] The team collected itself and ended their losing streak with an overtime win over Clarkson thanks to a goal from Walt Elsaesser.^[7]

After righting the ship, Princeton played just one game over the next two and a half weeks. They met the US Olympic Team in that aggregation's first game together. The Tigers took advantage of the lack of familiarity by scoring 5 goals in the first and riding that to an easy 6–2 victory.^[8]

Princeton didn't play another game until the end of the month and, when they did, had lost both Bob Schmon and Paul Van Dyke to academic ineligibility. The team looked completely out of sorts in the match against Boston University and produced their worst performance all season, losing 1–8.^[9] Without those two lynchpins in the lineup, the Tigers lost the other two games before the start of the Spring semester, dropping their record to 7–6.

Refusing to bow to the difficulties, the Tigers fought back in the next game and upset tournament-hopeful Boston College.^[10] Princeton continued its inspired play and won matches against both Harvard and Yale. With Bill Clarkson taking over from Van Dyke as the team's #1 center, both he and Freddie Roberts recorded hat-tricks to give the Tigers a pair of conference wins.^[11]

The three wins gave Princeton an outside chance at the NCAA tournament but they would have to continue the strong play over the remaining five game. Unfortunately, the entire offense fell apart down the stretch. In the final 5 contests, Princeton scored just 9 goals and lost every game. The Tigers had been 2nd in the Pentagonal League at the time but ended up tied for last with Yale and had yet another disappointing finish to their season.

Roster

No.	Player	Class	Pos	DoB	Hometown
	John F. Bernard	Junior	D	1923-09-06	Wellesley, Massachusetts
40	Charles R. Callanan	Graduate	G	1925-08-31	Albany, New York
	William F. Clarkson	Sophomore	F		Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
	Melville P. Dickenson Jr.	Junior		1928-03-05	Princeton, New Jersey
	Walter A. Elsaesser	Graduate	F	1924-02-18	Morristown, New Jersey
	Charles R. Erdman III	Graduate		1923-09-07	Princeton, New Jersey
	Peter E. B. Erdman	Sophomore			Princeton, New Jersey
	Dean W. Mathey	Sophomore			Brooklyn, New York
	Anthony M. O'Connor	Junior
	Robert B. O'Connor Jr.	Sophomore	G
	John M. Ricker	Graduate	D		Walpole, Massachusetts
	Frederick G. Roberts	Junior	F
	Richard P. Ryerson	Junior		1927-06-15	Glen Ridge, New Jersey
	Robert E. Ryerson Jr.	Graduate
	Henry W. Safarik	Sophomore	D		New York, New York
	Fredric E. Schluter Jr.	Sophomore			Bronxville, New York
	William E. Schluter	Sophomore	D	1927-11-05	Bronxville, New York
50	Robert M. Schmon	Graduate	D		Glen Ridge, New Jersey
	O. Jones Toland Jr.			1927-12-30	Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania
11	Paul C. Van Dyke	Sophomore	F		Litchfield, Connecticut
	Robert S. Wicks	Graduate			Lawrenceville, New Jersey

^[12]

Standings

1947–48 NCAA Independent ice hockey standings v t e
	Intercollegiate							Overall
	GP	W	L	T	Pct.	GF	GA	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA
Army	16	11	4	1	.719	78	39	16	11	4	1	78	39
Bemidji State	5	0	5	0	.000	13	36	10	2	8	0	37	63
Boston College	19	14	5	0	.737	126	60	19	14	5	0	126	60
Boston University	24	20	4	0	.833	179	86	24	20	4	0	179	86
Bowdoin	9	4	5	0	.444	45	68	11	6	5	0	56	73
Brown	14	5	9	0	.357	61	91	14	5	9	0	61	91
California	10	2	8	0	.200	45	62	17	5	12	0	87	89
Clarkson	12	5	6	1	.458	67	39	17	10	6	1	96	54
Colby	8	2	6	0	.250	28	41	8	2	6	0	28	41
Colgate	10	7	3	0	.700	54	34	13	10	3	0	83	45
Colorado College	14	9	5	0	.643	84	73	27	19	8	0	207	120
Cornell	4	0	4	0	.000	3	43	4	0	4	0	3	43
Dartmouth	23	21	2	0	.913	156	76	24	21	3	0	156	81
Fort Devens State	13	3	10	0	.231	33	74	–	–	–	–	–	–
Georgetown	3	2	1	0	.667	12	11	7	5	2	0	37	21
Hamilton	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	14	7	7	0	–	–
Harvard	22	9	13	0	.409	131	131	23	9	14	0	135	140
Lehigh	8	0	8	0	.000	8	95	10	0	10	0	12	108
Massachusetts	2	0	2	0	.000	1	23	3	0	3	0	3	30
Michigan	18	16	2	0	.889	105	53	23	20	2	1	141	63
Michigan Tech	19	7	12	0	.368	87	96	20	8	12	0	91	97
Middlebury	14	8	5	1	.607	111	68	16	10	5	1	127	74
Minnesota	16	9	7	0	.563	78	73	21	9	12	0	100	105
Minnesota–Duluth	6	3	3	0	.500	21	24	9	6	3	0	36	28
MIT	19	8	11	0	.421	93	114	19	8	11	0	93	114
New Hampshire	13	4	9	0	.308	58	67	13	4	9	0	58	67
North Dakota	10	6	4	0	.600	51	46	16	11	5	0	103	68
North Dakota Agricultural	5	3	2	0	.600	27	28	6	4	2	0	37	29
Northeastern	19	10	9	0	.526	135	119	19	10	9	0	135	119
Norwich	9	3	6	0	.333	38	58	13	6	7	0	56	70
Princeton	18	8	10	0	.444	65	72	21	10	11	0	79	79
St. Cloud State	12	10	2	0	.833	55	35	16	12	4	0	73	55
St. Lawrence	9	6	3	0	.667	65	27	13	8	4	1	95	50
Suffolk	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Tufts	4	3	1	0	.750	17	15	4	3	1	0	17	15
Union	9	1	8	0	.111	7	86	9	1	8	0	7	86
Williams	11	3	6	2	.364	37	47	13	4	7	2	–	–
Yale	16	5	10	1	.344	60	69	20	8	11	1	89	85

1947–48 Pentagonal League standings v t e
	Conference							Overall
	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA
Dartmouth †	7	7	0	0	1.000	49	20	24	21	3	0	156	81
Army	4	2	2	0	.500	12	17	16	11	4	1	78	39
Harvard	7	3	4	0	.429	31	33	23	9	14	0	135	140
Princeton	7	2	5	0	.286	23	31	21	10	11	0	79	79
Yale	7	2	5	0	.286	20	32	20	8	11	1	89	85
† indicates conference champion

Schedule and Results

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Record
Regular Season
December 13	Brown*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	W 7–4	1–0–0
December 15	St. Nicholas H. C.*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	W 6–2	2–0–0
December 19	Colby*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	W 7–0	3–0–0
December 29	vs. Colgate*	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium • Buffalo, New York	W 3–1	4–0–0
December 30	vs. Williams*	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium • Buffalo, New York	W 5–2	5–0–0
January 1	vs. Dartmouth*	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium • Buffalo, New York	L 1–5	5–1–0
January 3	St. Lawrence*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	L 3–6	5–2–0
January 10	at Dartmouth	Davis Rink • Hanover, New Hampshire	L 2–6	5–3–0 (0–1–0)
January 13	Clarkson*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	W 4–3 ^OT	6–3–0
January 17	US Olympic Team*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	W 6–2	7–3–0
January 31	Boston University*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	L 1–8	7–4–0
February 3	St. Nicholas H. C.*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	L 2–3	7–5–0
February 7	Colgate*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	L 4–5	7–6–0
February 10	Boston College*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	W 5–4	8–6–0
February 14	Harvard	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	W 8–4	9–6–0 (1–1–0)
February 21	Yale	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	W 6–3	10–6–0 (2–1–0)
February 27	at Yale	New Haven Arena • New Haven, Connecticut	L 1–2 ^OT	10–7–0 (2–2–0)
March 1	Williams*	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	L 2–3	10–8–0
March 6	Dartmouth	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	L 2–5	10–9–0 (2–3–0)
March 10	at Harvard	Boston Arena • Boston, Massachusetts	L 2–6	10–10–0 (2–4–0)
March 13	Army	Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey	L 2–5	10–11–0 (2–5–0)
*Non-conference game.

^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b "Men's Hockey All-Time Results". Princeton Tigers. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
^ "Varsity Pucksters Score Victory, 7-4, Over Brown Sextet". Daily Princetonian. December 15, 1947. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "Stickmen Submerge Scrappy St. Nicks". Daily Princetonian. December 16, 1947. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "Town Revels as Teams Journey Afar During Holidays". December 19, 1947. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "Tiger Teams Rack Up Four Holiday Wins". January 5, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "Indians Whip Tiger Pucksters In First League Encounter, 6-2". January 12, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "Tiger Sextet Scores Win By 4-3 in Overtime Tilt with Clarkson". January 14, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "U.S. Olympic Hockey Team Vanquished In First Game, 2-6, By Tiger Pucksters". January 19, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "Major Sports Varsities Lose Badly, But Other Teams Win Between Terms". February 9, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "Boston College Loses to Tiger Pucksters, 5-4, in Heated Tilt". February 11, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "Skaters Come From Behind to Trip Elis, 6-3, as Roberts Comletes 'Hat Trick'". February 23, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
^ "1947-1948 Roster". Elite Prospects. Retrieved January 4, 2020.

[results-1] "Men's Hockey All-Time Results". Princeton Tigers. Retrieved January 4, 2020.

[2] "Varsity Pucksters Score Victory, 7-4, Over Brown Sextet". Daily Princetonian. December 15, 1947. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[3] "Stickmen Submerge Scrappy St. Nicks". Daily Princetonian. December 16, 1947. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[4] "Town Revels as Teams Journey Afar During Holidays". December 19, 1947. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[5] "Tiger Teams Rack Up Four Holiday Wins". January 5, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[6] "Indians Whip Tiger Pucksters In First League Encounter, 6-2". January 12, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[7] "Tiger Sextet Scores Win By 4-3 in Overtime Tilt with Clarkson". January 14, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[8] "U.S. Olympic Hockey Team Vanquished In First Game, 2-6, By Tiger Pucksters". January 19, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[9] "Major Sports Varsities Lose Badly, But Other Teams Win Between Terms". February 9, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[10] "Boston College Loses to Tiger Pucksters, 5-4, in Heated Tilt". February 11, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[11] "Skaters Come From Behind to Trip Elis, 6-3, as Roberts Comletes 'Hat Trick'". February 23, 1948. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

[12] "1947-1948 Roster". Elite Prospects. Retrieved January 4, 2020.

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